Conventional magnetic resonance imaging includes methods referred to as MTC (Magnetization Transfer Contrast) effects and CEST (Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer). Protons in living tissues include free water protons and restricted protons whose motion is restricted when bound with macromolecules. The MTC effects use magnetic transfer between free water protons and restricted protons. The principle is as follows: first, MT pulses having a resonance frequency different from the resonance frequency of free water protons are applied so as to restrict the signals of restricted protons. The restricted protons are exchanged with the surrounding free-water protons and thus the magnetization of the restricted protons whose signals have been suppressed is transferred to the free water protons, which reduces signals of the free water protons. CEST is targeting magnetization transfer between restricted protons having a specific frequency (e.g., amine and hydroxyl group protons) and free water protons.